Workforce

Proportion of adults working

Used to evaluate the outlook of the labor market, the 'proportion of adults working' measures the economy's ability to provide jobs for a growing population. It is calculated as the number of employed, working-age population (16-64 years old) divided by the non-institutionalized, civilian, working-age population. This measure differs from the employment rate, which is calculated by dividing the number of employed persons by the number of people in the labor force, either working or actively looking for work. Having a high proportion of adults working means that an important proportion of the working-age population is employed, which in general will have positive effects on the economy.